Hand-pressed oval cakes of blue or yellow corn masa stuffed with frijol refrito or requeson, cooked on a comal and topped with nopales, queso fresco, salsa verde and chopped onion. Pre-Hispanic street food.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Tlacoyos are a Pre-Hispanic dish dating to the Aztec era, originally made on the comal griddle from nixtamalised corn masa stuffed with the same wild beans, fava beans or chickpeas. The name comes from the Nahuatl tlatlaoyo (corn cake). The blue-corn version comes from the heirloom maize varieties of Tlaxcala and Estado de Mexico that still survive at Mercado de San Juan and Tlacoyos Dona Jose. Modern restaurants like Expendio de Maiz have built modern Mexican cuisine around this canonical dish.
Tip from the editors. The masa should feel like soft Play-Doh. If it cracks at the edges, knead in a little more water. Real fresh blue masa from a tortilleria makes a noticeable difference.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Tlacoyos Dona Jose in Mexico City is the Roma Norte breakfast comal on Cordoba, the comal-griddle counter that puts out blue-corn tlacoyos filled with frijol or haba most weekday mornings.
Try: Tlacoyos
Order: Two tlacoyos de haba topped with nopales, queso fresco and salsa verde.
Tip: Cash only and weekday mornings only; the queue forms around 09:00 with neighbourhood regulars. Last sale is when the masa runs out.
Why locals love it: Tiny no-sign counter on Yucatan that serves whatever the chef wants that day, with ten seats and only heirloom corn.
Tip: Wed-Sun 13:00 to 19:00 only; arrive at opening for the day's full menu and bring cash.
Molino El Pujol in Mexico City is Enrique Olvera's Condesa heirloom-corn cafe on Sinaloa, the daytime molino that grinds native maize for tlacoyos, tortillas and tamales open to the public.
Signature: Tlacoyos, Quesadillas de masa azul, Tortillas de comal
Order: A tlacoyo de haba; a quesadilla de masa azul de huitlacoche; a torta of the day.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 18:00. The blue-corn tortillas to take home are sold in stacks at the counter; the public is welcome to watch the milling.
Mercado de Coyoacan in Mexico City is the southern neighbourhood market on Ignacio Allende near the Frida Kahlo Museum, a 350-vendor traditional market with the yellow-and-orange Tostadas Coyoacan stalls at its core.
More cities are in research. Want tlacoyos covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.